The annual Generation Next Basketball Association tips off with its second session of the spring this weekend in Illinois as 5th- 8th grade middle school teams battle for divisional supremacy and championship bracket seeds in preparation for the championships Memorial Day weekend in Minnesota. Here’s a brief preview of this upcoming weekend which promises to have a number of excellent matchups up and down the age groups each day.

8TH GRADE PREVIEW
The defending champion Milwaukee Spartans, Butler Elite, and Chicago Select jumped out of the gates early with undefeated efforts during the opening session of play and all 3 are filled with talent up and down the rosters. Deontay Long, Nobal Days, Markese Jacobs, Johntae Martin, Larry Canady, Gerald Hunley, etc. headline each of those rosters. All are deep, talented, and get after it on both ends.

The Iowa Barnstormers, Mac Irvin Fire, Yanders Law, Playground Elite, Future Elite, and the ET21 Buckeyes were also solid during their opening weekend of action as each rolled to 3-1 marks. Patrick McCaffery, Jackson Molstead, Marquise Kennedy, Daniel Filippone, Jadyn Brown, Trequan Carrington, Jeramie King, Robert Anderson, Semaj Henderson, Donyea McCaskill, and Tanner Oetting head up those teams with each making their presence felt during the opening session of play.

Two sleepers in the group at first glance are RAS Milwaukee, Team Ramey, Machine Elite, etc. who stand to have their complete rosters this weekend after posting 2-2 marks during the opening session. Both are tough, play hard, and feature some talented players including, but not limited to the likes of Cole Nau, Mario McKinney, Elijah Hicks, Gage Malensek, Keyyaun Batchman, etc.

7TH GRADE PREVIEW
A loaded group of 7th grade teams and players fills the rosters in this year’s GNBA league. ABC Select and the Iowa Barnstormers jumped out of the gate with undefeated 4-0 marks during the opening session of play thanks to the strong play of Gerald Doakes, Chris Hightower, Alex McAleer, Treyton Hurt, Cael Schmitt, etc. Both are deep, talented, and well coached teams that will be tough matchups for anyone this spring.

While those two teams went undefeated, the next teams at 3-1 after the opening weekend of play are LOADED as well with the likes of defending champion Wisconsin United, Team Sizzle, Kansas Pray & Play, Top Flight, WI Playground Warriors, 43 Hoops, and Yanders Law all delivering quality team efforts during the opening weekend of play. Reece Beekman, Namari Burnett, Quaron Wilson, Caleb Druvenga, Courtney Brown Jr., Dawson Garcia, Treyton Zastrow, Jalen Johnson, Nolan Dahmen, Nate Heise, Tate Machacek, Jalen Suggs, Terry Lockett, Quenton Shelton, Elijah Bridgers, Micah Jacques, and Trishawn Warrior are just a few of the talented young prospects who helped these teams get off to strong starts this spring.

A couple sleepers to watch closely include Team Ramey, Butler Elite, Net Gain Sports, Playground Elite, etc. who finished their opening sessions with 2-2 marks. All 3 have talent with some players that can really take over the game in names like Caleb Love, Ricky Canady, Austin Andrews, Drake Dobbs, Brandis Bowen, etc.
There are a ton of big time matchups on deck for this division throughout the weekend. A few that are must watch affairs include Top Flight/WI PGC, Team Sizzle/Iowa Barnstormers, Playground Elite/Yanders Law, WI PGC/Team Ramey, 43 Hoops/WI United, WI PGC/Team Sizzle, ABC Select/Kansas Pray & Play, WI United/Iowa Barnstormers, Net Gain Sports/Kansas Pray & Play, Iowa Barnstormers/Playground Elite, etc.

6TH GRADE PREVIEW
Kansas Pray & Play, WI Playground Warriors, Top Flight, and Team GetShook headline this age group after going 4-0 during the opening session of play. Each is talented and brings versatility and skill to the court that make for quality teams with solid young prospects. Daylan Jones, Jaylon McDaniel, Kobe Johnson, Patrick McGinnis, Mason Dorn, George Jackson, Jack Frick, Francis Nwaokorie, and Terrance Kamara led these teams into action this weekend with each having already made their presence felt in big fashion during the opening weekend of play.

Martin Brothers Select, Playground Elite, and RAS Milwaukee sit at 3-1 after session 1 with Cameron Davis, Hogan Hansen, Ezra Stargell, Delone Austin, Tanner Resch, Cameron Palesse, etc. leading the charge. Each have division championships on their minds as well and when the dust settles after this weekend all three will play a huge role in the 6th grade division this weekend.

5TH GRADE PREVIEW
A hungry group of young 5th graders are already improving and showing advanced skills led by Core 6 Speed Elite and the Illinois Rising Stars Elite, both of whom jumped out to 4-0 marks during the opening weekend of play. Trey Pettigrew, Kaden Cobb, Kanye Smith, etc. lead these talented young teams on the hardwood.

Wisconsin United, Net Gain Sports, Top Flight, and RAS Milwaukee all will figure into the divisional championship equation somehow this weekend after posting 3-1 marks during the opening session of play. Led by Tayan Thompson, Jordan Glenn, Amani Jones, Liam Carney, Braeden Carrington, Cade McGraw, Camden Heide, Greyson Pritzl, Danilo Jovanovich, etc. pace these teams and each are talented and improving each time they take the court.

Note: Antonio Curro is the National Recruiting Editor for NY2LASPORTS.COM and the Editor for GENERATIONNEXTBASKETBALL.COM and 414HOOPS.COM. He is also a member of the NBPA Top 100 Selection Committee as well as a consultant for ESPNU.